Octene hydroformylation by using rhodium complexes tethered onto selectively functionalized mesoporous silica and in situ high pressure IR study

SBA-15-based heterogeneous catalysts were applied to 1-octene hydroformylation. The turn over frequency over SBA-15/γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS)/Rh catalyst with triphenylphosphine (TPP) ligand prepared by conventional post grafting method was higher than that of the homogeneous catalyst, (Rh(CH3COO)2)2 with TPP. The SBA-15/AEAPMDMS/Rh catalyst can be easily recycled without rhodium loss. The molar ratio of linear to branched nonyl aldehydes was remarkably enhanced over the heterogeneous catalysts. The selectively functionalized rhodium catalyst (SBA-15/Ph2Si(OEt)2/AEAPMDMS/Rh), in which rhodium was selectively tethered intra-pore of SBA-15, was beneficial for improving the selectivity to linear aldehyde. In situ high pressure FT-IR analysis suggested HRh(CO)2(PPh3)2 and HRh(CO)(PPh3)3 to be active species over the SBA-15/AEAPMDMS/Rh catalyst with TPP.